Rors' Keezer Build

[Rorschach]

Hi All!
Done a few brews and pretty sick of bottli at this stage!
Decided I wanted a bit of a project and, wanting to get into kegging anyway, I've decided to build a keezer.
While I'm a complete novice with tools, I'm hoping this won't be too much hard work.
I bought a cheap chesty from Hardly Normals, a drop saw and a load of wood to make both a collar and to clad the freezer with.
I'm using dressed pine as it's relatively cheap and if I'm not happy, I should be able to do up another cladding with some decent wood.
This is going outside (although under cover), so I'll also stain it a nice colour.

The purpose of this thread is for me to document my progress. While this may end up costing me the same as a kegerator in the long run, I reckon I'll get more satisfaction out of this.

So far I have:
145L HiSense chesty
Loads of 19mm dressed pine slats
Stuff to help me build it.
Basically what I need to cosmetically change it from a chesty to a keezer

Stuff I need:
Everything to make it work like a keezer

 

[Grott]

Good move, you'll just love kegging. Those Hisense are apparently top freezers for conversion so your on the right track. Look forward to your progress.

 

[Rorschach]

Good move, you'll just love kegging. Those Hisense are apparently top freezers for conversion so your on the right track. Look forward to your progress.

Cheers
I've seen some F&P freezers online for cheap, but the hinges don't seem to suit turning into a keezer.
The HiSense ones dropped nicely in the sales too so hopefully I can make a goer!

I'm also going to try and make a frame to clad around so I can re-sell the chesty if I want to

 

[Red Baron]

Nice one! I just completed a keezer with the 145L Hisence. I can fit 4 kegs inside, but it needs a collar of at least 180mm, and the gas bottle has to go outside. If you're cladding the outside, don't forget to leave an air gap by the vent for the compressor so it doesn't overheat.

Cheers,
RB

 

[Rorschach]

Nice one! I just completed a keezer with the 145L Hisence. I can fit 4 kegs inside, but it needs a collar of at least 180mm, and the gas bottle has to go outside. If you're cladding the outside, don't forget to leave an air gap by the vent for the compressor so it doesn't overheat.

Cheers,
RB

Thanks for that, good to hear someone has done something similar!
I bought 140mm pine (I think) as I'm only planning on having 2 kegs and the CO2 bottle in there. I'm the only one drinking (plus visitors) so 2 kegs is plenty at this stage. I'm planning to build a lid into the collar rather than using the stock one, reckon it'll be easier that way.
The vent near the compressor I think I will leave unclad as it will be going next to something else anyway, so won't matter overly if its uncovered. I'm also putting some 30mm pine trim onto the corners to take the pine away from the freezer a bit and have something to attach the wood to so I can undress it and use it as a freezer again if I need to.

Also, mods I realise this should probably go into the DIY board, if someone could move it that'd be much appreciated.

 

[earle]

It's not just the vent that needs to be considered. Freezers dissipate their heat through all their entire sides. If you clad any of the sides you need to leave ventilation gaps. I added computer fans on mine to help out as the entire freezer is enclosed in cabinetry.

 

[Rorschach]

It's not just the vent that needs to be considered. Freezers dissipate their heat through all their entire sides. If you clad any of the sides you need to leave ventilation gaps. I added computer fans on mine to help out as the entire freezer is enclosed in cabinetry.

There's going to be a 5mm air gap around the whole side of the freeze as the boards won't be attached to the freezer itself, and the cladding will also have gaps between the boards as I'm not a fan of the 'solid' look, I'm hoping that and it being outside will be enough. The back also won't be covered at all.
If not, I'll take the pine off and use it bare.

 

[Rorschach]

Knocked up the inner collar tonight from some 130x35mm pine, which should leave me with a 10mm overhang as a lip onto the outside of the freezer. Needs a bit of sanding down due to me being a DIY novice, but should work fine.

Current plan is to make a simple tip from marine ply that I'll paint with some chalkboard paint.

 

[Rorschach]

Mega late update. Been so lazy with this and didn’t do a great deal for a bit.
It’s pretty much done, just need to insulate the collar (gonna use a car visor sunshade) and drill a hole for my temp controller.
After that, just need to put beer in it!